Wow! Can I just tell you what a joy it was to read, Man Shoes-The Journey To Becoming A Better Man, Husband & Father? It is my privilege to review this book; I believe that the author, Tom Watson, has some real valuable wisdom to offer his readers. Tom was born to parents ill prepared to raise a child in a healthy & life affirming way. He was placed into 13 different foster homes…some of which were little more than a systemic form of a physical & psychological torture chamber.

Tom was placed into foster care because his Aunt Donna & Uncle Roy found the courage to report the erratic parental care that infant Tom was experiencing. His parents would drop him off here and there and neglect to pick him up at the times that they agreed to. At one year of age, he became a foster child because his aunt and uncle found the strength of character to endure family censure by reporting the situation to the proper authorities. Tom expresses his gratefulness to them for doing so…even though he suffered greatly in multiple foster homes until he came to the place where his body and soul were nurtured. His life story actually proceeds with joy and gratefulness. To read the rest of this review go to: Book In Review

I got to thinking this past week about a strange set of circumstances. My husband, Jeff Wellman and his partners, Dixie Brown & Paul Counts, launched an internet marketing product and the response was so over the top that I was a bit perplexed. I mean…people were calling to say thank you for the customer service, people were amazed that he (the product owner), answered his own phone, people being shocked that he even put his own (real) phone number on the product page.

One caller was so taken aback that he laughed and said he had something all prepared to leave on a voice mail…and, when the phone was answered by the product owner…he didn’t know what to say; now that is kind of funny! The whole response, to this old fashioned way of doing business, was wonderful in an amazing sort of way…it got me thinking; are we so deprived of good customer service that when we experience it, we are flustered enough that we feel we must acknowledge it? 🙂 (more…)

Honor killings are used as a way to control behaviors typically in male dominated societies, often in the middle east. Usually, we hear about a daughter, a neice, a sister, mother, or a wife who has been murdered for violating a traditional role in their interaction with other males outside of their family. Unfortunately, this week honor killings are making news headlines because of a New York television owner’s death. It is being alleged that Aasiya Hassan was killed by her husband Muzzammil under the heading of an honor killing because of her desire for a divorce after some domestic violence issues, allegedly between husband and wife.

The Hassan’s started their television station in 2004; they did so because they wanted to combat any form of anti -Islamic sentiments that have been building since 911. They called their station Bridges TV. (more…)

Oh I forgot about this, a couple of weeks ago i watched the ABC television show Wife Swap. Normally i do not watch this show as it is a bit too over the top dramatic for me . I don’t know why I ended up watching this time, but I did. I probably shouldn’t have because it was outrageous and offensive to me. This is one wife swap drama that they probably shouldn’t have televised.

The one husband appeared to be an elitist…a snob of a royal kind. He was rude, insulting…condescending and very emotionally cruel to the wife that was swapped to his home. He came across as a total jerk. He tried to change the game halfway through the program. He refused to change the rules or activities like other families do during the second week; he threatened to stop the show, he ignored the swapped wife; and, he encouraged his children to do the same.

If you have never seen this show… it is a show where two families swap wives/mothers with each other. Of course, the families for dramatic reasons are two exact opposites when it comes to lifestyles or practices. When the women change places…they do as the family normally does the first week….during the second week, everything changes and the women implement changes/rules that they think would better or improve that family.

This particular show, Stephen Fowler, was openly hostile, rude, emotionally critical, verbally abusive and controlling. He made statements about middle class Americans who he referred to as Rednecks. He called the “wife” fat, lazy, ignorant, stupid…etc. He insulted her education. It crossed the boundaries of dramatic television and entered into nothing but abusive conduct, in my opinion.

It seems that Mr. Fowler is now experiencing a huge backlash about his conduct and his wounding words. Rightly so! He tried to be so superior to everyone and everything that he came across to be very boorish. I thought his wife, in retrospect, was fairly decent in her dealings with her family that she was swapped to; for the most part, at least until she was reunited with her husband.

At first, when his behavior came to light, during the meeting between families at the end of the show…she appeared to be somewhat ashamed of the things when she was told of what he said and did. Still, a person who conducts themselves so very openly and unapologetically towards another person…has to have exhibited that sort of behavior before, i would think. How could anyone allow their children to be raised around that level of contempt and disrespect for others? How will those children relate to others in the future?

I thought to myself, if I were his wife…i would be ashamed to show my face because people would know what kind of a man she had married. I would wonder if people thought that I thought the same things about others that her husband appeared to believe. I also thought, a man who appeared to be filled with such contempt for others should not be allowed to have so much influence on young children’s minds (he and his wife had children there who watched how he treated the swapped wife). He was demonstrating cruelty to another fellow human being; simply because he thought she deserved his contempt.

But at the end of the show, both Mr. Fowler and his wife, left me feeling glad that I no longer had to listen to him. I really though that he could win an award for the most offensive person on television that week for sure; if someone would take a vote.

I guess Mr and Mrs. Fowler’s neighbors are frustrated because people are driving by their home and pointing; and, someone even egged the Fowler’s home. Someone has been passing out fliers with the Fowler’s name, address, and pictures on it. These things are not ok. Of course, the neighbors did nothing wrong…so this of course, affects them too.

This printing of fliers, finger pointing traffic, and egging is considered harassment. Of course, no one should condone harassment or violence towards anyone…however, Mr. Fowler certainly struck a chord with many people. It would appear that by his own words he behaved like a jerk and people were not ok with that.

Most people who have such a strong opinion towards others learn to keep it to themselves; or, find a more appropriate way to express themselves; rather than going on national television. This past week, it was announced that Prince Harry, of Great Britain, is going to be taking sensitivity training because of something that he said about another person. It would appear that being sensitive towards those who are different, from ourselves, is something many of us could benefit from.

For those who have not heard the news story this past week; a man by the name of Bruce Pardo dressed up as Santa and went on a shooting rampage directed at his ex-wife and her family. He was aware that they held an annual Christmas party. He had been planning this for quite some time. About a week or so before the shootings took place…Bruce Pardo and his estranged wife, Sylvia, were officially divorced after 2 years of marriage. This man who dressed up as Santa, needed help. If he had gotten it…maybe this tragedy would not have happened.

It sounds as if the Pardo’s marriage was one of deceipt. Mr. Pardo had not disclosed to his wife that he had a child from a previous relationship that he did not see, nor did he help support. It seems that when this child was a toddler in Mr. Pardo’s care; the child ended up in a pool and almost drowned. The young child is now around the age of 7 ; but, Bruce Pardo kept this child a secret from his wife. She discovered that the child existed by going through tax papers and finding out that he claimed the child as a dependent. He denied the situation and Sylvia called her mother in law who confirmed that a child did in fact exist and was disabled. She filed for divorce…he did not want it.

It seems that during this time…Bruce also lost his job and then was ordered, by the court, to pay support to his soon to be ex-wife. By all appearances…Bruce did his best to follow through on the court’s dissolution of his marriage….yet, all along he planned his revenge on the woman who divorced him and those who were closest to her and helped her to leave him.

Bruce rented two vehicles and he had things planned out. He had an extra large Santa suit made up for him. It seems that at the annual party, Santa always showed up. He went to the home with a gift in his hand…when the door was opened by a young 8 year old girl…he opened fire, shooting her in the face. He then went about shooting and looking for specific people. After he shot the people he went looking for…he then used a homemade device to set the home on fire; inadvertantly causing himself 3rd degree burns when part of the Santa suit melted into his skin from the incendiary device he used to start the fire.

People in the home had tried to hide and some were able to flee. A sister of Sylvia’s escaped to a neighbors with the young 8 year old girl who was shot in the face. She was able to call 911. After starting the fire, Bruce Pardo shot out street lights…allegedly to help further his escape.

People are speculating that he had plans to shoot his own mother who was planning on attending the Christmas party, at her ex-daughter in laws parents home. She felt ill that evening and was not able to attend. Bruce blamed his mother for siding with Sylvia in the divorce. Also allegedly a possible victim of violence was the divorce lawyer who represented Sylvia. One of the rental vehicles was sitting near the lawyers home.

It appears that Bruce changed his plans after he was burned. It is thought that he was in great pain. He allegedly had purchased a plane ticket for Illinois to go there and cross the state line into Iowa to see a friend. He also had about 17,ooo.oo dollars plastic wrapped to his body. Instead of implementing those plans…he drove approximately 30-40 miles to his brothers home and broke in and shot himself dead.

What is hard to understand is; didn’t anyone who knew him or had occasion to spend time with him, during the weeks preceding the violence, see his mental breakdown? Was he so good at hiding his wrath that he was able to misleed the people in his life? Or did he isolate himself a this time?

Those familiar with the divorce situation say that he seemed almost eager to have it over with. The neighbors say that he was friendly and even wished them a Merry Christmas after telling them he was attending a Christmas party.

People who knew him said he was a friendly guy. They are shocked. And yet, a close friend of Sylvia allegedly said that Sylvia said he changed almost immediately after the marriage. He became secretive. Others say that Bruce had a secret guilt about the child that was gravely injured on his watch. The mother of the child allegedly says that he was involved when the child was in the hospital; but then…he didn’t visit nor did he support the child. In fact, he kept the child a secret from many…including his new wife.

The thing is…people who struggle with mental health issues dont always get the help that they need. Bruce Pardo needed that kind of help to cope with the feelings that he had from the tragedy that happened to his child. He needed support and counseling to heal up from the guilt that he most likely felt after the child was injured. He needed to have pre-marital counseling to help him break the news of this part of his life to his intended wife.

Sylvia needed a husband who could share this past with her. She needed him to seek marriage counseling when their marriage appeared to flounder shortly after it began. She needed some indication that the man she married was deeply disturbed and capable of such violence. She needed protection from the man that she fell in love with.

Experts will tell you that people who are in a state of flux…or life changes are often the most vulnerable for domestic violence. This is a dangerous time when emotions are raw and assets or custody rights are at stake. Passions are running high. It should almost be mandatory to have to have some sort of counseling to help people through the maze of emotion and legal wrangling that takes place.

I can’t help but to think of those that lost their lives and those who were left behind to deal with the aftermath. God help them. The things that they saw and heard will live with them for a very long time. And what about those who weren’t there; but, were directly affected such as Bruce Pardo’s mother or his brother. What about them? People need to pray for all of them. They are not responsible for his actions…and yet, they are directly affected by them as much as Sylvia’s family and friends. His brother…can you imagine…how will he ever be able to go back into his home? He has to wonder…why did his brother come there to commit suicide? His mother…she was obviously friendly with Sylvia and her family; how will she relate to the surviving members? They are all hurting…will they be able to help support one another or will it be too painful for them to see each other?

So many questions and so few answers. The thing is…unfortunately…people who are depressed or going through trauma often don’t think past the moment, about the long term effects of their actions. It is the survivors that are left to cope with both the questions and the answers.

Got a call for a prayer request today for a young woman, recently married, who is 5 weeks pregnant and having severe pains. Of course that is never good when you are expecting. In the last several months, we have known several women who are expecting who were in the same situation. Their pregnancies were in jeparody.

My own daughter has been in that situation twice now. It is a fearful thing to have to be on bedrest….trying to buy more time for the child in the womb…just to get them to a safe time in the pregnancy to be born. God is the giver of life…and he is the protector of life. We dont know the mind of God regarding these things. But, it is a miracle that from the time that the mother is aware of the life inside her…she has the ability to bond with that child; sight unseen. Why are some children conceived and are miscarried or lost shortly after birth? I don’t know. Why are some people allowed to carrying a child to term only to abandon it or abuse it? I don’t know. Why is it that some people who desperately want a child are denied the opportunity due to infertility issues? I don’t know. Why are so many babies lost to abortion? I don’t know. Why are some children unwanted? I don’t know.

I have pondered the mysteries of such issues when my husband and I lost two pregnancies ourselves. Those are questions that we just don’t know the answers to at this time. All I know is that God loves us and wants the best for us. I pray for this young woman and her child…I know the fear and anxiety. I also know that she wants to bring this child into the world. Let’s hope that she gets to greet this child at his/her moment of birth and is able to give thanks to the giver of life!

Did you ever go to a wedding and just observe the Bride and the Groom closely? Today, i did just that very thing. Oh, to be sure…the Bride was beautiful and full of smiles; and she looked the picture of what a Bride should look like. Youth, beauty, joy and excitement poured forth from her face as she, who is normally very shy, looked everyone in the eye and took her vows. This was her testiment to her pledge of love and commitment.

The Groom also looked young and full of love and pride in the bride of his choosing. There were awkward moments in the ceremony…such as a very loud train rumbling by the church…just as the bride was speaking her vows. Then, they did some wonderfully, unique things in their ceremony. They took communion during the ceremony which was lovely. The poor bride got a larger piece of the bread put into her mouth by her groom; which took her several minutes to chew and swallow…which caused her to be somewhat embarassed and caused some good natured laughter in the crowd.

Part of the unique ceremony took place when the bride was given in marriage by her father to her groom; at that point…the bride and groom took the elevated platform in the front of the church; and the minister then, came out into the congregation and stood with his back towards the back of the church…he faced the bride and groom; who stood facing the spectators. This viewpoint gave the advantage of watching the bride and groom as they spoke their vows, lit the candles, and smiled into each other’s eyes as they whispered affectionetly to one another. Then, the groom played the guitar while one of his groomsmen sang a tribute to their love for one another.

All in all, it was a trusting, loving, innocent step into the future as husband and wife…not knowing what the future holds for them…just knowing that they were taking the beginning step forward, together! Hopeful for a lifetime journey.